A new survey released this month by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Morning Consult sheds new light on parent's attitudes to childcare and the role for employers in that conversation. According to the survey, 4 in 5 working parents say it’s important that the business community lead the way in providing access to quality and affordable childcare.
Through its partnership with Penn Foster, EmployBridge, who puts more than 88,000 associates to work each day through professional brands including Select Staffing, ProLogistix, and Resource MFG, is doing more than connecting supply with demand. Together, they’re pioneering an entirely new approach to investing in talent with the potential to address pressing skills gaps -- while creating new career pathways for job-seekers. It’s a model that we may soon see replicated. Other staffing agencies -- in industries as varied as IT to construction to healthcare -- are exploring or have launched similar programs.
Despite historically low unemployment and a growing economy, hiring skilled workers remains a challenge in many of our nation’s key industries, such as manufacturing, construction, information technology, and healthcare. We know America’s young people have talent. Now it’s time to embrace the tools necessary to more effectively discover and guide that emerging talent to high demand careers.
Closing the communications gap requires investments on both sides of the equation. Employers and education providers must work together to ensure the signals are accurate, clear, and verifiable. As the use of digital credentials expands, job seekers will gain unprecedented insight into the link between what they learn and the sort of employment opportunities that exist in their community -- or around the country. And for employers, the improved signal-to-noise ratio means a higher percentage of qualified applicants for each job opening, and improved ability of hiring managers to identify the best candidates for their position.
Technology has transformed a lot of the things we do at work, but learning and development (L&D) has mostly stuck with the status quo. To attract and retain necessary talent, employers would be wise to nurture a learning culture and revisit their L&D strategy to make learning a strategic asset.
As the U.S. economy struggles to break out of economic stagnation, these investments in the different phases of education are indeed crucial, however greater attention should be paid to the role adult education programs play in sustaining and growing American commerce. Only by making these success stories more public and well known can we better position adult education advocates to make their case and secure financial resources for these vital adult education programs.
Until very recently, caring for young children was considered a family, actually a woman’s, responsibility. But things are changing. The workforce of today looks quite different. Leading employers have identified this shift and recognize that acknowledging it is a winning proposition, both for their business and for America’s future. The changing nature of the workforce and shifting employee expectations provide the business community with a unique opportunity to lead the way in implementing family friendly policies that support their employees and make economic sense for the business’ bottom line.
Breaking down STEM barriers starts in the classroom, providing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning in an inclusive digital environment. And this education shouldn’t be limited to high school students. Igniting STEM interest in middle school increases girls’ STEM interest later in their education.
Economic mobility rests on the opportunities that individuals are granted or seek out. Education plays a big part of that, which is why many professionals are now looking for continuous ways to improve their skillsets. But how do you validate that people have earned what they say they've earned? The reality is that people lie about their credentials. The solution? Use advanced technology to make credentials trackable and unfakeable.
